Properties of cognitive maps constructed from texts

Abstract

Subjects in three experiments read texts describing the locations oflandmarks in a fictitious town. Later they drew sketch maps and verified sentences describing the relative locations of the landmarks. We predicted that subjects would develop mental models of the town that were organized around important landmarks ("anchors"), as are cognitive maps constructed through real-world navigation. More specifically, we expected that landmarks used in the text as reference points for describing the locations of some other landmarks would emerge as anchors in the subjects' cognitive maps and would consequently be recalled more accurately. Results showed that subjects represented such reference-point landmarks more accurately than they did the locations of other landmarks. This effect was independent of: (1) the perspective from which the text was written (route or survey); (2) whether or not a map was present at learning; (3) the order of information in the text (linear or anchors-first), and (4) the amount of information available to the subjects while drawing sketch maps (the full text, the landmark names only, or no information).

Working memory in developing and applying mental models from spatial descriptions☆

“…Taylor and Tversky (1992a) found that mental models derived from both route and survey spatial descriptions were similar to those acquired during map study: after studying each, participants were equally adept at sketching maps and verifying inference statements. It appears that participants were able to develop spatial mental models that are not inextricably tied to the learned perspective (see also Brunyé & Taylor, 2007;Ferguson & Hegarty, 1994;Lee & Tversky, 2005;Noordzij & Postma, 2005). In contrast, some recent work shows that spatial memory may be strongly tied the initial learning format (Shelton & McNamara, 2004).…”

“…Most work investigating situation models comes from narrative discourse (e.g., Zwaan, Radvansky, Hilliard, & Curiel, 1998;. Additional work has examined mental model formation from reading non-spatial and spatial expository texts (Ferguson & Hegarty, 1994;Glenberg & Langston, 1992;Graesser & Bertus, 1998;Lee & Tversky, 2005;Millis, Graesser, & Haberlandt, 1993;Noordzij & Postma, 2005;Perrig & Kintsch, 1985;Taylor & Tversky, 1992a). Whereas both narrative and expository texts lead to mental model development, it is unclear which working memory mechanisms are responsible for constructing these mental representations and when they may play a role (i.e., de Vega, 1995;Radvansky & Copeland, 2001, 2004a, 2004b, 2006a, 2006b.…”

Wayfinding with words: spatial learning and navigation using dynamically updated verbal descriptions

“…In contrast to early theories of text comprehension arguing that the actual words are preserved in memory, the evidence is now clear that the mental representation is based on the spatial relations and conditions described by the texts, see (Zwaan, 1998) for a review. This ability for language to develop into an abstract spatial form in memory, called a ''cognitive map'' (O'Keefe & Nadel, 1978;Tolman, 1948) has been shown using various measurement techniques, such as spatial priming and recall, distance and pointing judgments, mental scanning operations and map reproduction tasks (Denis & Cocude, 1989, 1997Denis & Zimmer, 1992;Ferguson & Hegarty, 1994;Franklin & Tversky, 1990;Hirtle & Heidorn, 1993;JohnsonLaird, 1983;Perrig & Kintsch, 1985;Talmy, 1983;Taylor & Tversky, 1992;Wilson, Tlauka, & Wildbur, 1999).…”

Spatial Thinking by Young Children: Neurologic Evidence for Early Development and “Educability”

“…" Regardless of what terms are used, the distinction between conditions and connections is important, partly because the human brain appears to acquire and store information about place (conditions) and movement (connections) in different modes. "These strategies [spatial thinking by associating landmarks and tracing routes] may be subserved by different cortical areas [in the brain]" (Aginsky et al 1997, 317; see also Burwell et al 2004;Ekstrom et al 2003;Ferguson and Hegarty 1994;Golledge et al 1995;Gouteux et al 2001;Hartley et al 2004;Newcombe et al 1998).…”